asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will reconsider payment of a suckler cow grant in view of the substantial losses of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford given the bona fide nature of his application.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
100.
The person named cannot be paid grants under the 1987 suckler cow scheme as he did not notify the local office of the Department in writing that ten suckler cows accepted under the scheme at his first inspection on 4 September 1987 were no longer in his herd when a compliance inspection was done on 24 November 1987. As this is a fully funded EC scheme and the requirement that the Department must be notified in writing immediately the cow leaves the herd is insisted on by the EC Commission, I am afraid that the decision not to pay 1987 suckler cow premium to a person named will have to stand.
He has been paid his 1987 calf premium and EC special beef premium schemes grants already.
101.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will amend existing regulations for the purpose of ensuring that qualified animals, removed from herds under the disease eradication programme, qualify for headage payments.
It has been the practice for a number of years to allow payments under the disadvantaged areas schemes on animals present in herds at the time of application but removed from herds under the disease eradication scheme before the date of the headage inspection. It is proposed to continue this practice and accordingly it is not necessary to amend existing regulations.
Under the EC Suckler Cow Scheme payment is made on animals which are present at the date of application but which are removed subsequently under the disease eradication schemes. A similar position applies to the calf premium scheme provided the calf is six months of age at the time of slaughter. Under EC Regulations calf premium cannot be paid on calves which are less than six months at the time of slaughter.
In regard to the special beef premium scheme payment on reactor animals will be considered provided the herdowners notify their local livestock office of the Department of Agriculture and Food that they have reactor animals in their herds, as soon as they become aware of the fact, so that special inspections can be carried out.